Softball

Wheaton Sweeps MIT in NEWMAC Softball Action

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. - The MIT softball team dropped a pair of games to NEWMAC foe Wheaton College on Thursday. The No. 12 nationally-ranked Lyons (15-7, 4-2 NEWMAC) upended the Engineers (2-10, 1-3 NEWMAC), 2-1 and 3-1.

MIT wasted little time in the opening game as it scored in its first at-bats. Amanda Poteet drew a one-out walk and later scored on Cheryl Texin's two-out double to leftfield. The Engineers had runners in scoring position during the next two innings, but they could not capitalize on the opportunity.

Wheaton evened the score at one in the top of the fifth. With one out, Keeley Nowosacki recorded a triple down the leftfield line. Following a strikeout, Abby Taylor reached first on a throwing error that also brought Nowosacki home. Leah Bogsted ended the rally by tallying her third strikeout of the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Poteet led off with a single. Adrianne Hee then singled up the middle. After back-to-back strikeouts, both runners advanced on a passed ball. Wheaton's Jodi Moynagh maintained the tie by throwing another strikeout. The Lyons carried the momentum into the top of the seventh as Jessica DePolito hit a triple to leftfield. Meredith Gorton entered the game as a pinch runner and scored the game-winning run on Nowosacki's one-out double to centerfield.

Nowosacki went 2-for-3 with both of her hits going for extra bases. Moynagh earned the win as her record improved to 8-3 on the year. She posted nine strikeouts and allowed five hits and two walks.

Texin and Stephanie Brenman both hit 2-for-3 with Texin picking up a RBI. Bogsted received her first loss of the day as she totaled nine strikeouts, two walks and three hits.

In the nightcap, Wheaton struck first in the second inning. Audrey Poulton singled up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Niki Gruttadauria reached on a walk and then moved to second on a fielder's choice by Jessica DeRico. Following a double-steal, Alix Brozman hit a single that scored Gruttadauria.

The Lyons tacked on two more runs in the fifth frame. DeRico notched a one-out double to leftfield and Brozman singled to the same side to put runners on the corners. An attempted pickoff throw at second base was deflected into centerfield and allowed both base runners to score.

MIT mustered a late rally in the bottom of the seventh. Hee led off with a double down the right field line and scored on Texin's single to center field. Texin advanced to second on the throw home. Strong defense by Wheaton turned a lineout to shortstop into its second double-play of the game. Hurler Audrey Poulton clinched the win by tossing her seventh strikeout of the game.

Brozman tallied a hit in all three of her at-bats to go along with a run and a RBI. Poulton, who improved to 7-3 on the season, helped her cause by going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Hee hit 2-for-3 as Texin went 2-for-2 with a RBI. In four innings, Bogsted (2-9) scattered five hits and fanned one. Katherine Bankert shared pitching duties and allowed three hits in three innings.

The next game for MIT will be on Friday, April 7 when it travels to WPI for a NEWMAC doubleheader.